Polymeric in-mold labels offer many aesthetic and functional advantages over paper labels in the labeling of containers made from polymeric resins using blow-molding, injection-molding or injection-blow molding. When a plastic container such as a high density polyethylene (HDPE) squeeze bottle is used to package a product such as a hair shampoo, a package using a polymeric label is generally more appealing to consumers than a package using a paper label. In many applications the use of polymeric in-mold labels is required for reasons of appearance, handling, performance, moisture-resistance, conformability, durability and compatibility with the container to be labeled. Polymeric in-mold labels also enable clear or substantially transparent labels with only the label indicia being visible to the consumer.
A problem with polymeric in-mold labels is that they tend to shrink during the container-forming process and collapse in the thickness or “Z” direction. As a result, these labels, when applied to a container, typically exhibit a surface roughness that detracts from the aesthetics of the graphic or printed image formed on the label.
The present invention provides a solution to this problem by providing a multilayered film that exhibits only minimal surface roughening after application as an in-mold label to a container. The labels made from this film, when applied to a container, typically exhibit a surface roughness on the print surface of about 100 microinches or less, as determined by test method ANSI B46.1. This compares to labels in the prior art which have been observed to exhibit a surface roughness that detracts from the aesthetics of the graphic or printed image formed on the label and have a surface roughness of about 200 microinches.